*published July 14, 2005
My English friend describes vacations as “going on holiday”. The thought of going on a holiday sounds joyful, but I doubt if we’ll be that chipper after two weeks on the open road.
If I planned these trips, they’d be much more sporadic. It has nothing to do with how I feel about my family, it’s that the preparation for vacations can be overwhelming.
A month before we leave, I start making The List. It runs the gamut from “Call the vet to board the animals” to “Pack underwear”. I used to get specific about which underwear, but I’m happy to report that I’ve let that go and just list how many pairs. But I must have a list, or I can’t go.
The list is specific about each outfit I’m going to take. Before you roll your eyes at me, one year I threw caution to the wind and packed a bunch of shorts and t-shirts. During our stay, I discovered that I had packed two shirts that didn’t match any of my shorts, and a pair of shorts that I didn’t like. Even the most casual of packers would say that was a waste of suitcase space.
And speaking of casual packers, there’s my husband, Dale. His packing style is a little different from mine. After I have made my list, checked it twice, and packed everything into my color-coordinated cases, he will still be mowing the lawn one more time. About an hour before we leave, he’ll throw a bundle of clothes in a duffle bag, toss his golf clubs and fishing rods in the back, and proclaim himself ready.
I’m always torn between amazement and wanting to pound my head against a wall.
When Marcus was younger, I used to pack all of his clothes (yes, based on a list), but I’m trying to give him more autonomy and responsibility. He can pack his own suitcase for this trip; however, since we’ll be gone for two weeks, I may supervise. Being a pre-teen boy, my son thinks that he can wear one pair of socks for a week, although he requires a clean pair of pajamas every night.
Since we’re driving cross-country, I’ve also been trying to make a list of places to visit along the way. Dale has been making his own list, sort of.
I am using the Southern California Auto Club’s internet site to plan “TripTiks” showing the mileage and directions to various landmarks. I also picked up some of their tour books to see what interesting places were on our route.
By contrast, Dale is using his U.S. Road Atlas, leafing through the pages with a magnifying glass, but not writing anything down. We haven’t merged our lists yet because it’s hard to compare notes when you don’t take any.
The result of this is that we leave in four days and still don’t know what we’re going to see or where we’re going to stop. I hope I’m sounding calm about this, because I’d really rather have a list.
At least I’ll be properly packed.